Spartanburg, SC, and Lowell, MA – September 27, 2017 – AFL’s FOCIS Flex fiber optic connector inspection solution was recognized with a Gold Level Award during the annual Cabling Installation & Maintenance (CI&M) Innovators Awards program, which recognizes innovative products and systems as well as their uses and applications.AFL, a leading manufacturer of fiber optic system solutions, received the Gold Level Award by demonstrating “excellent innovation, the benefits of which are clear, and makes a substantial improvement over previous methods employed, approaches taken, or products/systems used.”

“AFL is honored to receive this award as it validates the high level of innovation FOCIS Flex brings to the fiber inspection market,” said Maury Wood, product line manager for AFL’s Test and Inspection Division. “We are committed to driving continued leadership in inspection products for the fiber optic communications industry.”

AFL’s award-winning FOCIS Flex is a handheld, tether-free fiber optic connector inspection device with Bluetooth® capability that provides pass/fail results in seconds, pairs easily with AFL’s OTDRs, works in concert with an Android or iOS device, auto saves results internally or externally, works with a wide range of adapter tips, prepares inspection reports, and so much more. AFL’s FOCIS Flex app is available free of charge on Apple’s App Store and the Google Play Store.

“This product shows the expected evolution made possible through the incorporation of available technologies,” one judge noted. “This is a great tool for field fiber connector inspection and proper installation, and will facilitate a practical approach to cleaner connectors and the resulting successful installation.”

The CI&M judging panel consisted of cabling and communications system specifiers, designers, integrators and managers with vast professional experience. The Innovators Awards are judged based on the following criteria:

About The Cabling Installation & Maintenance 2017 Innovators Awards program
The Cabling Installation & Maintenance 2017 Innovators Awards program reviews and recognizes the most-innovative applications of cabling and communications technology products and systems within the structured cabling industry. Platinum, Gold, and Silver Honorees were announced at BICSI's 2017 Fall Conference in Las Vegas on Monday, September 25, 2017. Criteria used in the Innovators Awards ranking included: innovation, value, sustainability, collaboration, and impact.

About AFL
Founded in 1984, AFL is an international manufacturer providing end-to-end solutions to the energy, service provider, enterprise and industrial markets as well as several emerging markets. The company’s products are in use in over 130 countries and include fiber optic cable and hardware, transmission and substation accessories, outside plant equipment, connectivity, test and inspection equipment, fusion splicers and training. AFL also offers a wide variety of services supporting data center, enterprise, wireless and outside plant applications.

Headquartered in Spartanburg, SC, AFL has operations in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, Europe, Asia and Australia, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fujikura Ltd. of Japan. For more information, visit www.AFLglobal.com.